New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Dongiwirope’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named ‘Dongiwirope’ characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full appearance; dark green-colored leaves; freely and early flowering habit; medium-sized semi-double to double-type coral-colored flowers that have a ruffled rosette appearance; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DONGIWIROPE’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

The Inventor and Applicant assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or Applicant. Inventor and Applicant claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dongiwirope’.

The new Impatiens plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Koka, Ethiopia and Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching, early and freely flowering New Guinea Impatiens plants with large attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Impatiens plant originated from a self-pollination made by the Inventor in November, 2017 in Koka, Ethiopia of Impatiens hawkeri ‘Duewildrwh’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,745. The new Impatiens plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. in April, 2018.

Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. since June, 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylight and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dongiwirope’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dongiwirope’ as a new and distinct Impatiens plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and full appearance.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Freely and early flowering habit.     -   6. Medium-sized semi-double to double-type coral-colored flowers         that have a ruffled rosette appearance.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the parent, ‘Duewildrwh’. Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of ‘Duewildrwh’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more compact than plants of         ‘Duewildrwh’.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Duewildrwh’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are peach in color         whereas flowers of plants of ‘Duewildrwh’ are white in color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of Impatiens hawkeri ‘Doimwirored’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,564. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of ‘Doimwirored’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more upright than plants of         ‘Doimwirored’.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens have slightly smaller flowers         than plants of ‘Doimwirored’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are peach in color         whereas flowers of plants of ‘Doimwirored’ are dark red in         color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of Impatiens hawkeri ‘Duemagpin’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,035. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of ‘Duemagpin’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are not as vigorous as plants of         ‘Duemagpin’.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens have smaller flowers than plants         of ‘Duemagpin’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are semi-double to         double-types whereas flowers of plants of ‘Duemagpin’ are         single-types.     -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are peach in color         whereas flowers of plants of ‘Duemagpin’ are soft pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Impatiens plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Impatiens plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dongiwirope’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Dongiwirope’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer and autumn in winter and early spring in 16.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif. and under cultural practices typical of commercial New Guinea Impatiens production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels ranged from 4,000 to 4,500 lux. Plants were 13 weeks old when the photographs were taken and 17 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri ‘Dongiwirope’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Impatiens hawkeri ‘Duewildrwh’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,745.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Impatiens hawkeri ‘Duewildrwh’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,745. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About five to             seven days at temperatures about 27° C. and night             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at day temperatures about 27° C.             and night temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and             mounding plant habit; broad inverted triangle in overall             shape; freely branching habit with lateral branches             potentially developing at every node; dense and full             appearance; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit and             moderate to rapid growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 55 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 21 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.75 cm.         -   Internode length.—About 5.25 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, stout; flexible.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy.         -   Color, developing and fully developed.—Close to 144A             variably overlain with close to 183A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Typically in whorls; simple.         -   Length.—About 7.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.25 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate to cuneate.         -   Margin.—Serrate with ciliation.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; semi-glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Initially, close to             146A becoming closer to 147A. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Initially, close to 146B becoming closer to 147B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker green than             N189A; venation, close to between 144A and 146A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; midvein,             close to between 144A and 146A and lateral venation, close             to 146A.         -   Petiole length.—About 3.75 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 3.5 mm.         -   Petiole texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to between             144B and 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Semi-double to double-type,             medium-sized ruffled rounded rectangular axillary flowers;             freely flowering habit, typically about five to seven open             flowers and flower buds per lateral branch; flowers             positioned above and beyond the foliar plane, flowers             typically face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers typically last about four to seven             days on the plant under greenhouse conditions; petals             self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse             conditions; in the garden, flowering from spring until fall             in California; early flowering habit, plants typically begin             flowering about eleven weeks after planting.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 7.5 mm.             Shape: Ovoid; rosebud-like when opening. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm by 6 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.75 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Six to ten per flower in             one to two whorls. Length, banner petals: About 2.5 cm.             Length, lateral petals: About 2.75 cm. Length, lower petals:             About 2.6 cm. Width, banner petal: About 3.4 cm. Width,             lateral petals: About 3 cm. Width, lower petals: About             2.6 cm. Shape, all petals: Obcordate to broadly obcordate.             Apex, all petals: Emarginate. Base, all petals: Cuneate to             attenuate. Margin, all petals: Mostly entire with occasional             and random indentations; undulate and ruffled and frilled             appearance. Texture and luster, all petals, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety; slightly glossy; iridescent.             Texture and luster, all petals, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy; iridescent. Color, all petals:             When opening, upper surface: Close to 38A and towards the             margins, close to 56A. When opening, lower surface: Close to             56A to 56B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 38A;             towards the margins, close to 56A and towards the base,             close to 157D; venation, similar to lamina; color becoming             closer to 38A to 38B increasingly tinged with close to 52A             and towards the base, close to 157D with subsequent             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 56A to             56B; venation, close to 146A; color does not change with             subsequent development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Three in a single whorl;             one modified into an elongated spur. Lateral sepal length:             About 1.2 cm. Lateral sepal width: About 7.5 mm. Spur sepal             length: About 1.5 cm. Spur sepal width: About 1 cm. Sepal             shape: Deltoid to ovate. Sepal apex: Acuminate. Sepal base:             Truncate. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy.             Sepal color, upper surface: Close to 144C to 144D. Sepal             color, lower surface: Close to 144B to 144C. Spur length:             About 1 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 7.5 mm; at apex,             less than 1 mm. Spur texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             semi-glossy. Spur color: Close to 144C to 144D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Angle: About 45° from stein axis. Strength: Strong;             flexible. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy             to glossy. Color: Close to 144A to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at             anthers; filaments free. Anther size: About 1 mm by 0.75 mm.             Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to N155B. Pollen             amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma             color: Close to 144A. Style color: Close to 144A. Ovary             color: Close to 144A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Impatiens. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Impatiens     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Impatiens plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate temperatures ranging     from about 5° C. to about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Impatiens plant named ‘Dongiwirope’ as illustrated and described. 